Aug
4
Man oh man, the days are busy lately. I get up and it’s a mad dash to get the kids ready for school, get myself ready for work, then gallop around the house making beds, wiping counters, hiding clutter, and generally trying to make the house presentable in the unlikely event of a showing. (We put the house on the market last week. We’ve received exactly one call since then, from an agent. I’m . . . a little discouraged.) I spend my day in the office, fight the usual crush of traffic to get home, and try to enjoy the hours before bedtime with the boys without succumbing to the siren call of the computer. As soon as they’re tucked in bed I’ve got freelance work to dive into, with ongoing breaks to make sure Dylan’s still dressed and hasn’t escaped out the top of his crib and plummeted to the floor.
It doesn’t leave much time for much of anything else, and after a few days in a row of not getting any exercise other than the sweaty cardio jam of stuffing Dylan back in his motherfucking pajamas each night, I decided to try jogging with the stroller.
I’ve long suspected that I would dislike this sort of activity and I wish I could tell you that it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but it was in fact worse. Admittedly we don’t have an actual jogging stroller so it’s possible things would be easier if we did, but it’s basically like taking everything that sucks about running and adding a few extra raised middle fingers. I hate not being able to swing both arms, I hate shoving the stroller up hills, I hate when I accidentally stub my toe on the back wheel. I feel like there must be some sort of technique would make the whole process smoother, but I’ve tried different things—running next to the stroller while holding it off to the side, pushing it a few feet in front of me so I can let go of the handle—and there’s really no escaping that what you’re doing is running while pushing a small person whose density exponentially increases every quarter mile.
There is something nice about having company, though, even if said company is loudly and continually yelling “Faster, Mommy! Go fast!” until I feel like a particularly beaten-down and unappreciated rickshaw driver. Also, it’s kind of amusing to note the curious and pitying glances of passersby, who seem to assume one or both of us is in dire need of a bathroom.
It’s not ideal but it currently fulfills the multitasking requirement I’m angling for, even more so if I can fit a destination into our little outing and pick up a prescription or whatever at the same time. I’m ready for life to dial back down to a more manageable level, though. I miss television, you know?
Tomorrow I leave for BlogHer and I’m so excited about seeing friends and meeting new people and generally getting the hell out of Dodge for a couple days. I’m even looking forward to that long-ass flight because it means I can just SIT and read BOOKS and not have to wipe anyone’s BUTTHOLE. (Hopefully.)
I hope I see you this weekend!
Comments
-
My product review site:
[
Hah! Hopefully! Have a great time!
I did my first 5K after my twins were born by pushing the boys in a jogging stroller. Dumbest race idea ever. Two kids chucking sippy cups over the side and constantly whining? Now I know why NO ONE pushes double jogging strollers in races. I do it when my husband is out of town and I am desperate but it is always painful.
Insult to injury was coming around the last corner to see my husband sprawled in the grass enjoying the springtime sun.
You’ve been running without a jogging stroller??!! That’s your whole problem right there! With a jogging stroller you wouldn’t stub your toe, it would glide better — the whole thing would be much improved. The double BOB stroller is the best thing I’ve ever spent way too much money on. On my two days home with the two kids (ages 2 & 5) I take them for a run and it isn’t the greatest thing ever but it beats sitting around the house having them whine at me.
My secret is that I have a bag of pretzels for each kid that I toss to them ONLY when we turn around. (if I give it to them at the beginning they’ll just finish it right away) The other is that I jog in a place where there’s lots for them to see — in my case it’s the beach boardwalk.
But good on you for getting out there — even with the annoyances. And have a great break.
I’ve never jogged with a stroller, what am I saying I never jog at all.
Have fun at BlogHer, I wish I was going so we could hang out :)
Someone should invent no-strangle tethers for the kids’ stuff when they’re in a stroller or other moving object. Or maybe you can fit the thing with a large net cover so whatever gets tossed bounces back at them.
A BOB revolution makes jogging with a stroller suck a little less. That was my ONLY big ticket purchase after #2 was born. Going up hills still blows though.
I’ve never understood the whole jogging-with-a-stroller thing. I mean, aside from the fact that it’s probably good exercise and time spent teaching your child valuable lessons about fitness.
But man, I can’t even jog by myself, let alone pushing a human around in a wheeled vehicle. Beaten down rickshaw driver sounds exactly like what I’d always pictured.
Running with an actual jogging stroller is hard enough as it is. You are insane for trying it with a regular stroller. If you don’t have the hundreds of dollars to plop on a new BOB, try craigslist. You can get an el cheapo at Target too but the BOB is the best (I literally wore out my first stroller and bought a BOB Ironman on craigslist–best $ spent ever!). I kind of enjoy having an evil personal trainer (free of charge!) telling me to run faster. My daughter is now six and I still cram her into her stroller once in awhile just for the company. When I run without her, I feel like I am flying (added bonus for this slowpoke back of the pack runner)!
I just got a jogging stroller (scored on Craigslist! Tons of people get rid of them when they realize they aren’t all that easy to run with) this week, and the two runs I’ve taken were HARD. I don’t have any other option but to run with my 1 year old though, so this is where it’s at. I just tell myself I’m getting an even better workout because I have to push the dumb thing.
Have fun at BlogHer! Looking forward to reading the gazillion posts that will pop up about it after this weekend.
Hope to see you too!
I love running (for the most part) and the thought of jogging with a stroller makes me want to gauge my eyes out.
haha I haven’t had the experience of jogging with a stroller but I could only imagine how hard it would be.
How old is Dylan? I bet he’s cute but not as cute as this boy: http://www.shortform.tv/w/cute/i-m-yoursukulele
rickshaw driver….hahahahahah good one :)
I’d love to go to BlogHer, but even if I did I’d likely be too shy to introduce myself but would nudge my sister (I couldn’t go alone, after all) and say, “look, it’s Sundry…she’s so funny and cool…” and wistfully wish I were brave enough to go talk to you. You’d think after typing this out I’d realize how silly I sound and I wouldn’t act this way. But I would. :) Enjoy the flight – if anyone asks you to wipe their butthole, just say no.
kim
Try to pick up a used job stroller. You still have a few years you can get out of it with the kids. They are worth it. Much better than running with a regular stroller.
I’m a dork and super excited about the photography and writing workshops, but what I’m most looking forward to? The train ride. By myself.
at least it would be a new butthole.
IMHO, jogging stroller is an oxymoron. Oh, I’ve tried it with my twins and yes, I have the ad executives’ brilliant version of a stroller-that-tortures-moms-so-they-are-forced-to-jog-whilst-pushing-an-extra-70-pounds (and yes, bought used on Craigs list) but it STILL SUCKS HIND TIT.
Besides, jogging is my alone time. I don’t want my two little anti butt wipers screaming up at me to “go faster”.
I hated not being able to move my arms while running. So even with a jogger stroller I almost never used it for jogging. If I was a creative/inventive person, I’d invent a stroller that has some kind of harness with poles for jogging with a stroller. Sure, I’d look like a horse and buggy, but at least I could move my damned arms and pull the thing instead of push it. Bleh.
I live for the day that the only butt I have to wipe is mine own.
Enjoy your freedom! I hope you have a great time.
My husband likes the jogging stroller. Me-I do not run.
I like the line about wiping buttholes, but what about your own?
Or is that a part of first class? (Asswipers?)
My father-in-law who was a lifelong real estate guru used to say,”you only need one interested person in order to sell a home”. It seems more manageable to think of it that way. Have a great weekend in NYC!!!! You totes deserve it.
Seriously, you never fail to make me LAUGH OUT LOUD Seriously, the rickshaw driver…the wiping the butthole (hopefully) comment. I can’t take it, if I never read another blog in my entire life…I will be so happy having found yours….you are so freaking HILARIOUS!
Have a great trip.
You make me laugh out loud..and that is a luxury in my day that is filled with way too much frustration and irritation with two kids ages 1 and 3. You are freaking hilarious and love that you write and say what most of us are thinking. Your brutal honesty is fabulous. It makes me feel normal. Thank God for that.
I ran a 5K a few weeks ago, and one of the first females to finish…was pushing a jogging stroller. She did pretty close to a 6-minute mile with that thing. Craziness.
On the pajama thing – get him one-piece jammies without feet and put them on backwards. He won’t be able to get hold of the zipper if it’s in back. Bwa ha ha ha ha! Foiled!
Dude, I am so stalking you in NY.
In a totally non-creepy way of course. Ahem.
We have our house on the market too (in a very different region) and have had very little traffic – it is discouraging. But remember you just need to find that one right buyer. Some friends just sold their house, which had a very unusual layout, after only showing it 3 times – they just found the person for whom the house was perfect. God luck.
Hope to meet you in NY! I love to run but have yet to buy a jogging stroller. I’m afraid of investing all that money and then discovering that I HATE it.
[…] Rush hours : All & Sundry […]
Can’t wait to to read about how you did, in fact, need to deal with someone’s butthole during your flight.
I have a jogging stroller, I don’t love it but it does get the job done and is much better than running with the regular stroller. I run with one hand and swing the other. It’s too bad I’m so incredibly right-hand dominant because I can only push with the right hand and swing the left. If I try it the other way around I trip over my own feet, flip the stroller over and DIE.
A real jogging stroller makes a HUGE difference but it still sucks. :) It did take me a few runs to work out the arm thing and I ended up doing what others said — hold the handlebar/strap with one hand and swing the other arm.
We have City Mini Jogger jog stroller, I think. For fuck’s sake why do not know the brand? Any who, it was a gift from work for the 2nd baby and both my husband and I have pushed the kids in it (not both at the same time but one or the other) whilst running and it went swimmingly.
I have tried to pretend jog with regular strollers (a fancy pants umbrella stroller and a big old Graco deal) and that sucked the life out of me.
All of that said, I live in a hilly area but nothing like where you live. Is it just the pushing the stroller hell or is it the stroller combined with the hills hell!? Not sure any stroller would be fun to push in the metro Seattle area!!
I’d really like to make it to BlogHer. If I manage to get my act together, next year I’ll be there.
Don’t be too discouraged about the lack of viewings. It’s a hard time of year to sell, as everyone’s on holidays. Things will likely pick up towards the end of the month as September sees everyone back into a routine.
I have to agree with the other ladies on the BOB. We have had a BOB Revolution for over three years (love it!) and I have run a bit with our son. Now, we have two little ones and I need the Duallie. But if I spent that kind of money, it would actually require that I run regularly. Hmmmmm…
Hey!!! So I wanted to invite you to follow my blog. Where I developed the idea for “Featured Followers by Elle © ” This is how I promote all my followers. Check out my
♥ Elle
I’ve been jogging with my daughter in a jogger since she was 6 months (she’s 3 next month). It’s the only way I was going to be able to keep it up. It’s not as easy as running without it, but once you get used to it, it’s not bad. (And yes. I’m in the Pacific NW and have some KILLER hills I have to go up!)
There is NO WAY I could have done it without a jogging stroller though! Get yourself one if this continues. I’m now on the lookout for a double jogger. Two must-haves in my opinion – a front wheel that locks and unlocks and a handle that adjusts for height. I have to have the handle lower when I jog than when I’m just walking.
Check out the Schwinn Turismo for a double. I’ve got the single and that’s what I’m going to “upgrade” to when the next one arrives.
Good luck!!
Have you ever considered letting Dylan sleep sans pjs? Maybe he keeps peeling them off because he’s hot? Just a thought…
Have fun at BlogHer. Wish I were there!
Toshiba Satellite T115-S1100 11.6-Inch LED TruBrite Black/Grey Laptop – 8 Hours 22 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Reviews…
I found your entry interesting thus I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog :)…
For what its worth, walking/running with a stroller increases your calorie burn by something like 20%… which still might not be worth the frustration. I have a jogging stroller and don’t love it.
Get a BOB! Even though your kids are getting bigger they have great resale value and girl you just can’t run with a regular stroller! Love our bob. Except for the way it seems to always put the kidlets to sleep RIGHT before we get home and I’m forced to make the decision of carrying their asses to bed and risk waking them up, or just let them wake up on their own when they realize the stroller is no longer moving and give up on morning nap ENTIRELY!
wow! so tell us how you really feel. amazing! lol! i just finished reading your post about “gisele” and her many moments of a faux pa (oops – spelling?). anyway, i felt the need to seek you out in hopes of finding a real person with the attitude i can totally appreciate. although my hubby is outside with our 5yo pacifying his need to be in the oppressive heat wave this side of the states and trying to catch the oh so seldom moment to see an adult rated movie i tend to squeeze in my many hook ups to blogs i find i can’t go without. i’ve been wondering about “the stir” and who is behind the catty remarks that i so enjoy. its very refreshing to see someone actually tell it like it is. i may not catch what is most current due to my life style when i can sit down, read and comprehend what i’m reading. only to realize i’m several hours behind on posting my comments and wondering if they ever get read. nice to meet you finally!
I admire anyone who is willing to run, jog, hop, crawl or otherwise move their body for the purpose of getting healthier. I’d rather be carried and give someone else all the fun.
~ Yaya
My score was 4500
I have a single jogging stroller, which I researched for weeks and bought and love, and a double jogging stroller I bought off craigslist when baby #2 arrived, and it is, well… less than loveable. But, there is something to be said for having the kids along, especially after I haven’t seen them all day and I desperately need to work out before the muffin top takes over my entire top, and this way I can “spend time with the kids” and still take care of me. And sometimes, when I have just one kid along, it is actually kind of blissful…and sweet. Or maybe it’s just that the single stroller is the (way) better stroller. Also, I have found that one kid can ride for an hour happily, but two kids max out at 30 minutes. Anyway, you need a real jogging stroller, if you’re going to try to run with kid(s) because it is a much different (easier) and better experience. See if you can find one with a full body-length divider between the kids, so that when the kids decide to pummel each other with their sippy cups, they don’t actually connect with skull. Or, if one doesn’t exist out there, invent the damn thing and then you can move to Oregon a rich woman.
I have a 9 week old and am in no rush to start running with him in the baby jogger, but I would like to find out when we might expect to get out and run together. I bought the BOB Ironman jog stroller and have heard and read varying opinions on when it might be safest to start running with him.
Jogging with a stroller takes practice! We scored on a wonderful one at a sporting goods store that held my special needs kiddo through the age of 7. Without that, there were days I’d never have gotten out of the house! Anyway, I did want to give you encouragement on the home sale issue. We put ours on the market in early January and got no real bites for a few weeks. Then? Several offers — sometimes it takes a while for the momentum to build, and like someone else said, it only takes one person to want to buy it. If you liked your house, someone else will too! Good luck! (And great blog! I’ll be back. I didn’t get to Blogher, I don’t know many bloggers personally yet but hope to go one of these coming conferences.)
I can’t even imagine how frustrating jogging with a stroller would be. Probably biking with kiddo in a bike seat would be better as you at least still have your arms and legs doing what they normally would on a bike?
Consider yourself lucky to have had one call on your house. Today was the 110th day our house has been on the market and still no calls. Good luck, this whole waiting game is a PITA.
I loved this post! I ran with a jogger with my first baby. You have to get a jogger if you are going to continue….look on Cragslist…get one at Target for $100 if you will do it regularly. You don’t need the $300 models that you see in magazines. She was 2 months old when I first put her in it and I ran with her a lot. She is now 14 and watches her brother and sister while I run, so I don’t need the jogger as much. However, sometimes the only time I can run is when nobody is around to watch my son who is now 5, so I will run with him. He likes to get out and run for 1/4 mile jaunts which is really nice. Then, he gets back in for a snack or a drink. Sometimes I run him over when he doesn’t tell me he is getting out. It is hard to get into a stride with a jogger if you don’t do it regularly, but I really enjoyed it when I was in a routine with my first baby. I would run with her even if my husband was home and could watch her. The worst part about running with my son now (other than the fact that he weighs 40 pounds) is that he talks constantly and not just to talk, but constantly asks me questions that I have to answer. If you do it more often, it can be really nice, for your son and for you. But get a jogger if you do it!
Good web site you have got here.. It’s hard to find good quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!